last year i had a lot of work on the ariba lives in the north of for palestine like the people who lives in nazareth and to be around these people. they came to buy in the game in big numbers called the borders were closed ah, out of the 900 palestinian christians and garza is radio for it is only granted 600 of them permits to leave to bethlehem. the $3.00 oh, $1.00 person will be granted a permit, but 2 others of the same family weren't. they always sleep some one out. so what happens is that the family ends up not traveling, ah, with more than $220.00 palestinians killed by israeli forces this year. palestinians are reminded that theory mean under israel's occupation. here say they tried to seize any opportunity to celebrate. they live under israel's military occupation until, as they don't have much to do, but to pray for peace needs. abraham al jazeera, the occupied west rank. ah,

hello there. this is al jazeera and these are the headlines. people across north america are settling in for freezing festive season after a major winter storm. at least 18 people have been killed during blizzards and the u. s. in thousands of flights have been cancelled. meanwhile, authorities and canada have warned people to stay in doors as strong winds freezing, rain, and heavy snow sweep that country power has been cut to more than 200000 homes and fallen trees have stopped some inner city trains ever since the united nations has expressed concern after afghanistan's taliban government band women from working for aid organizations and geo is operating in the country. a warning that the exclusion of women are only deep in nature monetary in crisis. at least 10 people have been killed by russians. shelling in the southern ukrainian city of cress on the city was re taken by ukrainian troops last month and

a major set back from moscow. while you hands president volley, muse lensky has accused the kremlin of killing. for pleasure. he called for unity and his holiday addressed to the nation as joy drawn, gimme godsa, no camera. kazi, drones can extinguish the christmas dawn. we will see its glow even under ground in the bomb shelter feeds him where we will fill our hearts with warmth and light bill, no muscles can hurt them, not. they will break against our steel spirit and our fight will continue unabated . when islam it's not threatened by planned or emergency blackout soccer, and we will never feel a lack of courage and invisibility language. but more than one is the child the so we will celebrate shall holidays. as always, we will smile and rejoice as always. the difference is one god, we will not wait for a miracle because we will create it ourselves. on china's national health commission will stop publishing daily figures of covert 19 infections. numbers will

instead be published by another government organization for research purposes. china is battling a wave of current virus infections and overcrowded hospitals. pipe frances has warned of the consequences of gleaton during a christmas eve mass. the head of the roman catholic church says the weak and vulnerable are the victims of the pursuit of wealth and power. well, those are the headlines. i'll be back with more news for you here after inside story. a lot of the stories that we cover a highly complex. so it's very important that we make them as understandable as we can do as many people as possible. no matter how much they know about a given crisis or issue with the smell of death is overpowering as al jazeera correspondence, that's what we strive to do. it's called the united india march, the opposition congress policy says it's wiley age to highlight what is called the danger of the b j. p y. now and is the congress party able to make

a difference in india? this is inside story. ah hello, welcome to the program, i am hash and i had bar thousands of supporters of the main opposition party in india. have beach, the capital, you deli, they've been walking for more than 3 months to united the country and are planning to continue until february. among them is role. gandhi, former party president and the great grandson of joy le, narrow, the country's 1st prime minister. some critics say the demonstration is a desperate move that is unlikely to gain any new support for the congress party. pub limiter. has this report for a deli oh,

the people have gathered here to join one of india's most powerful men. and that is raoul gandhi. the sign of the indian national congress. he's walked, how long does across india for nearly 3 months. he says his goal is to unite a concrete quote, arise by the governing b, j b. this comes as the parties trying to revive it, so the congress is down to one of its lowest tallies in parliament and is only governing 3 states. meanwhile, the governing bgp and crime is an arrange modi remain unchallenged, and have enjoy unprecedented popularity despite growing criticism about their handling of the pandemic, the handling of the economy and shrinking space for descent, as well as shrinking right for minority groups. and let's say that the call is in ability to challenge this criticism and hold the government accountable has contributed to the bgp success. they say that in the upcoming election, that is about 16 months away, 2020 forwarding to

a horse gender election. it will be smaller visual parties that will emerge as possible challenges to the bgp, probably middle for inside story. more than a century old, the indian national congress party or simply the congress party, was the 1st war. the nationalist movement to immersion asia was still under occupation of the british empire. after independence in 1947, the party dominated politics in india. in 1952 in the 1st general election after independence, it swept to power in the national parliament and most state legislators. congress held control until 1977, once one of the largest parties in india. it now all new governance, 3 of india's 28 states, bought a jewelry out that i'm a great gel rather be glad to go to a gang tell the people who are walking in the night. india rally are the ones who support dividing the country. how can people who plot of destroying the country

speak of uniting it generally, how can the people, whose riley has the seeds of hatred, talk about opening shops of love, ah, let's bring in august, fault them, a hon is a report of the quinn's a gentle years on the opinion website in india, she joins us from the deli until i visit is national spokesperson for the indian national congress. he joins us by sky from calcutta. also joining us from the deli is who the unsure metal is a senior leader of the bahati, a jenna. it's a party. welcome to the program fatima this march. does it have any potential somehow to generate momentum for the congress party, or do you think it's too little too late? now, you know, the one criticism that has been leveled against the owners, but you don't on the more specifically in life he still has been that he has been

a passive edition. he is inconsistent in a position to be that if he goes on a thought is he is been playing a lot for the next week that a, a session that has been big or him involvement and understanding in active. so in magazine, we did send one to mark what, what the, how to do on the other hand is being able to successfully achieve is a sledge shifting that perception in that image. and on the, as you know, been visual wide enough. speaking to crowds. even then, even though it's gaining during city of a news blocking it, people are on many people from various folks in public life. i go, i know people who is even more indian, i joined the much it heads in that place. shifting perception, my where those visuals will be able to translate into anything and it's gonna be

something we have to begin watching the 2024 elections or just like before that or not to get on stage elections just to get your understand or stood as decent yes, 2095 would be even the wiley or they will light the sticks in which congress and the b g. who had the lexia and ingle is the congress had been able to win only 15. i don't. i mean us his own on this past year for me that had been on his national 24 that anybody in that and then the party would allow the teens a committee will be, it was thought of the party a week on this learning to was a go, this is and, but had something like a less, the more relaxing of anecdotal status is that we have to be in what's going on. so this is all about perceptions. how do you think? and the congress party build bridges where the people india,

when the general sentiment is of the leaders, particularly a whole gandhi is widely seen or someone who has always been disconnected. oh whoo, from the people of india. well now jim, um you know this despite unite india march has been unprecedented. it's been unparalleled. there's been nothing like it in the modern historic world. i mean from, from the moment it took off from the dip of india, the went, went for an upwards, right. really covering the backbone of again, there's been nothing like it, the crowds, the support, the organization that we've seen. and this was actually the call of history. i mean, we had to do it because of the divisive politics of the b. b. they were trying to deb this country apart, there was hatred, there was spewing of venom. there was antagonism, there was demonization of communities. there was majority debt in ism. so it was the need of the art to do it. but this is a non partisan march. i mean,

it has its roots in politics because this is a political party, but it's outcomes. its objectives are a political, it's a social movement. it's a moral and ethical movement. and the congress knows enough about that. and it's 100 and you know, 38 he street the guardian movement was a political and ethical movement that was an anti collodion movement. and the believe passion that this government mimics the colonial state in the sense that is colonized stone territory. it, you know, demonizes community that divides people. it is grossly incompetent in matters of administration. i mean, the incompetency chose during the pandemic economy is in doldrums. not enough is good deficit. a stimulus given that a high levels of inflation as well as unemployment and, and gross amount of power t. okay. widespread power it's the of meant is not recognizing, so it was the need of the are so than to have heard what term and so has been saying, which is basically they believe that the presence of b, j. p, flattens,

disintegration or of india. do you see this, marsha, something that could potentially undermine the your dominance of the political life since 2014 was from foremost i would really like to understand as to what the stand for. you know, the reason why congress has got so badly defeated that today it is the 11th and 3 states list together form 42 looks of our seat in comparison to do or to be 540 p. c. we should look summer has to be so that kind of presence congress has to. so the only talking about the of what i was trying to say if far fetched, leave problem in the congress 1st night. there are 5 factors because affected congress responsible footage complete disintegration. first in

practice in minority kanellis, you know in the name of secularism, what they were doing was basically a minority commitment. huh. and that has miniature and boy because that's been, are backed up from the majority company. secondly, the obsession with the family has resulted in thought, a completely washout, off leadership. you see flood leadership, what is required as this should be given the i in spite of what we all know that her, what mr. now hold on be on begun. the family, per se to me, is in terms of any she is assessed by try best it rejected. you know, we have seen g launches one after the other and they're all fairly low. i mean, so as far as congress is concerned, well, good luck to them. they're in becky, what is most disturbing is a party which once was the national party, which taught for the freedom of this county to bay is identified with elements

which are in the middle of the nationally, a long list that of grievances. sedan. sure, but i have now to go to a fatima father. oh, what went wrong with a political party that was the dominant force in india for decades to a party that has been completely routed into successive relaxes of the federal and the state level. yeah, so i mean, this order complete since effect in the, especially the thought on the, on this like that on the and the precisely, there was this nature of taking. what does not good, especially the traditional home is what does will been in the parking lot a stunningly us, which through the need to be when it wasn't net, i'm a net, it happened a lot of you to do. i went in the angle disillusioned with his body. it's when you're on the thought leaders on the they do not seeing the need to reach out or does any more. uh, but more than that, of course, one came on in soon on this,

on what the need to be and on which has been a device in the door. again, one on one of these that has be the wedding many in the country and you die new day or to discuss that 8 or whatever the congress is doing is something going minority . communism would be extremely it on. and also just not actually the long as it said has been accused of of community on the dates of i being of being a complete united, stormy night over the years. so noisy, ellen deed of taking her to this accusation that the be to be living at the goal is that they do this kind of win win or get human. but one of the only nice is the, just a lot in what it was you know, to do, you know, on these financing could just dine, define the bonus. because so what is, has been defined opposition to be. but it's not for the opposition to be just be one who and what do you stand for that? okay. i think that the communist need some floating to do and described was one on

. so if you would like to characterize yourself as a unifying force, as opposed to a, b, j, p, which you think is, could lead to the disintegration of india. but don't just see that indians are the same time a pretty much concerned that the congress has never been willing to generally address the problem. it has been facing for quite some time, corruption divisions and the need for the leadership to reinvent itself if he wants to stay the course. you know, india is a vibrant democracy. you know, it's a highly invitational democracy. it invites everyone to partake in it. so you know, ups and downs and democracy electoral defeat successes are all a part of it. no, i am not trying to under my mind the challenges that of in the congress body. i'm not even saying that this is of most finest electron moment. i know the realities that exist, but i also know that this of this party, the b to b is a highly divisive force, which is trying to dare this country of thought,

which is not invoking. it's for donald past it. you know, it's composite culture are shared heritage the fact that the u. v. a unified in diversity. all this is completely forsaken and it's behaving completely like a, as i say, a of a colonial state to compete colonizing its own territory all the time. favoring a few sort of businessman so, so economically we have a lot of iniquity. i would define, you know, the problem is no, be of very clearing what our definition of property is and what our ideology is. in fact it's a, it's a fight of ideologies. of ideology is social justice, it is secularism. it is economic equity. it is empowerment for women. these are the things we stand for. we bought this to buy them from the moment of its inception till now. and that fight continues and it's it, this of this unite india, march. i started march unprecedented march. a march with success. the b dippy cannot tolerate. it's been trying to snub it to insult it to billy,

be little it from the moment it started with all kinds of fake news propaganda is, is actually a testament to that kind of ideology. so than to of listen to you talk in a while ago about what you consider to be the biggest problem with the congress party. let's stick just for a 2nd with a gentle perception about your own party, the b j. p, which is basically religious polarization. i'll try nationalist discourse widely seen as key components of your own ideology, which the congress says is a danger to the few sort of india and the reason why you could lose the lashes in the future. you, she, miss lenny, they're taught in cruise. i mean, is of a high phone words which has no meaning because it's hard back by instances is if you can be made, you can be read language. you can be bit instance. i said they were practicing nile . heard the lady saying no, no, the conjugate use of minority ism and minority. i wanted to let me give you

a let me think about that just for the sake of will event one, launching. if you don't mind a really don't don't respond to me and billy hello. you've been talking to i think i've been here by you've been talking to fatima. ah . okay. now, so things are just for the sake of moving forward. could you just address the question that i've asked you earlier about religious polarization and ultra nationalist agenda? i don't think i yeah. i why. once you use these words, if she'll give me these specific instances, then i can talk about it saying that we are her but rising calmly. now, what are the instances to say that it just come in and pull up? all right, people talk about her and i see now and i see something which was ordered by the supreme court in or by the be government to said that was coming, play session or book reservation of communities. i would think for it to be

a turn to say that she a, a, an act which talked about giving protection to the minorities in which a logical critics, kate nibbling india not is that a scheme to come in. and then i really wish to understand what little is. so when somebody says me, j. p has been practicing tomlin politics or device of politics. you must come with their stance it so that then it can be given an answer to. how do you expect me to answer what a tardy to last me what i statement, which was just i thought what i think john. ok. fatima? not rhetorical. so i will give you a bit of the i will, you know, from the examples i just gave you an example of the congress he does calling me my soldiers of india not getting beaten down the alley. so can little lag in ashley is a perfectly give until a chance to, to, to, to answer your question here. no of so. so i should be, you know,

there's not one. i mean, this is not just rhetoric. that is, his speech was, is a bounded india, and the people who indulge in its beat of the most vile kind. i mean, i can't even beat it here. are allowed to get to be the did i mean? but if you're in the opposition, and if you say something critiquing the government, you're accused of anti naturalism. that is a blatant kind of judge against this government. the level of hate speech, the laws that are being made. you know, i cannot even repeat the kind of bizarre guy conceptual law. you're dividing people on the basis of dress on the basis of diet on the basis of language on the basis of that customs you, as you're speaking against that culture of their traditions. i mean, it goes on and on a day to day basis, read the paper every day. they are leaders from this right wing party, the seeing it. okay, the examples upon and b, this particular c is the most discriminatory law. and for the 1st time i'm, i'm really afraid to say a disagreement at the law has become a part of our constitution. it's never happened before. and it's terrible. it's ok

. so you don't exec rebound? fatima a party that has been in free fall since 2014, the congress party has to reinvent in itself in a way or present the people where the program that could potentially bring about something different, a genuine change. now the us father economy is concerned, which is one of the biggest key issues. a general sentiment is b, j. p is doing very well. so what do you think? should the congress pick the next campaign battle to be able to win the hearts and minds of people when the economy is in doing it in the country to days? incredible unemployment and joblessness, and that is something that needs to be pulled across communities. so age is that isaac owners is using it as one of the issues that is running with in this month. but besides that, i think the one thing that the on the lead,

but he had when you see julio or is that organization, maybe they do more than that. you're talking to be more than more than just a piece listed because you don't get for them. you don't get your office for 2 years on in the one is that the body needs doing don't any. they don't figured out, well do this work or secondly, i do want to say at this point in this country, us a way and the way to do in the biggest thing and yet is going to live in order to be to be the longest needs for the fucking to me, one, get some examples. i did specific example number one being that people who are convicted operating be bundling with that i. they came out all day last month. the thing to get the day or not some member of the thing be to be emily.

i said these are government, what god need vehicle from us and what might be the value before that one race, not just us convict lindsay bit came out and him out and then he's a 15 kenwood again of guidance and where it can be. ok. that's not a specific example, except if you want to do this, unfortunately we're having a few time left here. so i would like to just explore other venue is here. so then, so when you look at the history of the b, j. p a particular talking from the time of us by you all the way towards at vonnie and also moody and i'm it's shar, there is this that is this that is this massive back in the r s s which is the umbrella organization. the grass roots movements that really made the party the way

it is now. but people are saying that you could potentially be hijacked by this all true up populist, ultra nationalist movement, which is just making you a party one of the most. i'll try nationalist parties in this part of the, in the part of the world. did doomsday fears have no understanding of the other thing. so i had me didn't even comment on that because it is the shipment is a shipment of somebody's imagination. charter says, is the involved in that on the work? it's been doing a lot of shiva save. i mean, it's been doing her philanthropy, it's been doing, but the service, it has like one shop presence and tons of the projects it has undertaken for the benefit of people. so really i need to answer that. ok, because sure, by north it was mentioned, i just want to give when you talk to back the people who are connected to what bundling this claim shavers in war. but up there have been given me that he went

out of the did not have word to spoken against then and then you're talking about will your spinal meet me at mitch, mitch was which you good and bad? we're just right. oh, you put responsible for that modem had been laid out and you had popping up because fun and things just give them a fatima. come ask you this other the the, the congress party has a new leader medical casual, the 1st time in 22 years. they has a new data outside from the, from the, from the london family on suddenly you're seeing a whole on the stepping in the, isn't this something that is bloating alliance could potentially create more confusion among people so many, i didn't, i haven't been, i'm a little bit lucky for 781 says election for the id and some of the lease community we did this new york 1st class in this country doing that, send him eating the fight even if you're just these unity but not the fact when he

does, if you ok to nominate. i know that i submit bank idea. i find a when get against it. ignited boy phenomenon lead time would have let me be on the ground kind of why someone is this for the decision with my own minutes ago? unsure. ah wise, is it to bring our whole vandy back to the political landscape when his image has been severely damaged by the 20142019 performance? you know, he's, it's not that he's back and he was always there. i mean, this is a part of the political sort of landscape, but you do, you know, there is a social movement that he did it, but he's not the only face of that movement. there are 135 people in that long march and they've been there for the last 108 days. he's a part of that movement, of course he's the face of it. he's the most popular. so member of that on march.

so he's been interviewed, but that that's not it. he didn't know if this is been on the book such a fascinating, complex story of the same time. but i promise you that one day we'll come back to this particular story and explore it further. fatima hun and show a visit, so dense from it. i really appreciate your insight. thank you. and thank you for watching. you can see the program again any time by visiting our website. i'll just say dot com for further discussion. go to our facebook page. that's facebook dot com, forward slash ha inside. you can also do the conversations with l 100 ha, size 40 for me, my mother, and the entire team here and go, ha, ah and talked to al jazeera, we also do you believe that women of afghanistan was somehow abandoned by the international community?

we listen, we have a huge price for the war against terrorism as going on. and so my, we meet with global news makers and talk about the stories that matter on al jazeera, a sense with

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